Drafting instrument



July 30, 1957 I v; DEBS 2,800,717

DRAFTING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 25, 1953 INVENTQR VICTOR DEBS H6: 7 F16. 8 l

d g-roman 2,800,717 DRAFTING INSTRUMENT Victor Debs, New York, N. Y. Application December 23, 1953, Serial No. 399,926 8 Claims. (CI. 3.341

This invention relates to drafting instruments. It particularly relates to a device for drawing single or concentric circles, ellipses, egg-shaped figures, spirals and other figures.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly improved and simplified device of the character described, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, and which shall yet be practical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

' Fig. l is a perspective view of the device or apparatus embodying the invention and illustrating the drawing of an ellipse;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view through the part of said device;

P Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 4 is a top plan view illustrating the device when drawing a spiral;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and illustrating the device when drawing a circle;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and illustrating the drawing of an egg-shaped figure.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of one of the pins forming part of the apparatus of the above invention;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the pin shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, 10 designates an apparatus embodying the invention. Said apparatus comprises a member 11 on which is mounted an adjustable loop 12 and the apparatus further includes one or more pins 13. The member 11 comprises a frame 15 which may be made of hard synthetic plastic, wood, metal or any other suitable material. The frame 15 comprises a horizontal bottom wall 16. The wall 16 has a rear edge 17 from which there extends forwardly parallel side edges 18.

Extending forwardly from the front ends of the side edges 18 are symmetrical, converging inclined edges 19 interconnected at the front by a curved edge 20. The bottom wall 16 is formed forwardly of the rear edge 17 with a pair of symmetrically disposed through'openings 22, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Said bottom wall 16 is furthermore formed with a longitudinal row of spaced through openings 23 disposed between the converging edges 19 and on a line bisecting the angle formed by said converging edges.

Each of the openings 23 has a top, tapered, countersunk portion 24. Extending downwardly from the rear end of the bottom wall 16 adjacent the ends of the rear edge 17, are rear legs 25. Extending downwardly from nited States Patent 2,800,717 Patented July 30, 1957 the front end of the bottom wall 16 is a front leg 26. The front leg 26 is formed with a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal horizontal through openings 27 symmetrically disposed with respect to a longitudinal mid-section through the bottom wall. The purpose of these openings 27 will hereinafter appear.

It will be noted that the frame 16 rests on the legs 25, 26. It will be further noted that the horizontal longitudinal through openings 27 are disposed on opposite sides of the row of openings 23.

Extending upwardly from the bottom wall 16 are a pair of parallel walls 30. Walls 30 extend upwardly from the side edges 18 of the bottom wall. These parallel walls 30, each has upwardly and inwardly tapering side edges 31 and top curved edges 32. The walls 30 are furthermore formed with horizontal aligned through openings 34 disposed in spaced relation above the bottom wall 16. I

Rotatably but frictionally mounted in said openings is a threaded winding member 38. Member 38 comprises a split or slotted round shank 39 journalled in said openings 34. At one end of the shank 30 is an enlarged collar 40 contacting the outer surface of one of the walls 30. On said collar 40 is formed a thumb knob 41 which may be externally knurled. The shank 39 frictionally fits within openings 34.

Tied to the shank 39 are the ends of said loop 12 which may be made of thread of any suitable kind. The ends of the thread or loop 12 may be passed through the slit or slit or slot in the shank and attached to the shank in any suitable manner. The portion of the thread adjacent the portions which are tied to the shank, are wound on the shank and then pass dowwardly through the openings 22 and then run beneath the wall 16 on opposite sides of the opening 23. The thread then passes through the openings 27 and the thread portions are interconnected at the front forming a loop as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that a pencil 50 or a pen or a scribe or cutting tool may be passed through any one of the openings 23, to engage the surface on which member 11 is placed.

The apparatus 10 further comprises one or more of the pins 13. Each pin 13 may be formed with a head 51 and a pin or pointed portion or prong 52 extending axially from one side of the head. The head 51 is formed with an annular groove 53.

When the device is to be used for scribing or drawing an ellipse, a pair of pins are impaled on a surface to be drawn upon in spaced relation, as shown in Fig. l. The thread 12 is then looped around both pins 13 being engaged within the grooves 52 of this pin. A pencil or pen is passed through one of the openings 23. Member 11 is then pulled back so that the thread 12 is taut. The pencil together with member 11 is then worked around with the pencil drawing on the surface. An ellipse will thus be drawn if the thread is always kept taut. The length of the thread may be adjusted by turning the winder 38. Furthermore a plurality of concentric ellipses may be drawn by leaving the pins 13 in the same place and without adjusting the winder 38, by putting the pencil successively in various holes 23 and drawing the ellipses. Further, ellipses of various sizes may be drawn by selecting the desired opening 23 or adjusting the shaft or winder.

A spiral may be drawn by bringing the two pins 13 close together, looping the thread 12 over one of the pins, putting the point of the pencil through one of the openings 23, and then working the pencil and member 11 round and round. The drawing of the spiral is illustrated in Fig. 4.

To draw a circle, only a single pin 13 is employed. The thread is looped over it and the drawing proceeds in the same way.

ice

Totdraw anegg shaped figure, three pins 13 are employed and the thread is looped over on three pins. If desired four or more pins maybe used and in this manner various figures may be drawn. By merely working the pencil round/and roundpthe member 11'wil l .be:moved around in radial fashion by the pencil.

Itlwillthus be seen that there is provided a device in whiphthe severahobjects of this inventiomare achieved and'which is ;welladapted to meet the conditions of .practical use. i

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious cha ges might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it. is.,to .be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying:.drawing, is to beinterpreted as -illustrative and not in alirnitingsense.v

Having -,thus, described ,my invention. in some detail, what. I clairn as. new' and, desire to protect by Letters Patent .of" the United States, is:

1., A,de vice of the character-described comprising a member, having a bottom wall and a pair of spaced parallel upstanding walls, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted onthe upstanding walls, said bottom Wall having a pair of spaced openings at the rear thereof, a thread having the ends thereof attached to said shaft and being wound on said shaft and passing down through said openings and beneath the bottom wall, said bottom wall being formed with aperture means adjacent the front end thereof, said thread. passing through said aperture means at the front of the bottom wall and being interconnected forwardly of the front end of the bottom wall, and said bottom wall being formed with a plurality of through openings at the front end thereof, and adapted to receive the point of a writing instrument, scribe or cutting tool.

2. The combination of claim 1, in combination with one or more pins adapted to be impaled in a surface and formed with a head having an external groove to receive the thread.

3. A device of the character described comprising a-memberformed with a plurality of spaced openings to selectively receive the point of a writing instrument, which point may pass through to the underside of said member for drawing on a surface on which said member rests, a shaft rotatably mounted on said member, a thread having the ends thereof attached to spaced portions of said shaft whereby said shaft may be turned to adjust the length of the thread, the portion of the thread between the ends thereof; forming aloop and said openings being located one plane perpendicular to'and between spaced portions of said shaft.

2,800,71 7 g A r 4. The combination of claim 3, in combination with'a member having a prong to be inserted into the surface on which the instrument is to draw, said last member having a head forming an annular groove to receive the looped portion of the thread.

5. The combination of claim 4, said first member being formed with a pair of openings, and portions of said thread passing through said pair .of openings to keep portions of the thread inspaced relation.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a bottom wall, a pair, of parallel side wallsextending upwardly from the bottom wall, a pair of spaced rear legs at the rear end of said bottom wall, a central front leg at the front end of said bottom wall, said front leg being formed with passage means extending from the front to the rear, said bottom wall being formed with a pair of spaced through openings adjacent its rear end, said side walls being formed with aligned through openings, a shaft rotatably mounted within said through openings, means on one end of the shaft to rotate the same, a thread having the ends thereof attached to the shaft and wound thereon, portions of the thread extending from the wound portion passing downwardly through the through openings at the rear end of the bottom wall and passing beneaththe bottom wall and through the passage means in the front leg, the portion of the thread which is disposed forwardly of the passage means in thefront leg forming a loop, andsaid bottom wall beingformed with a longitudinal row of through openings rearwardly of the front leg toreceive .the point of a writing instrument, scribe or cutting tool.

7. The, combination of claim .6, said shaft being split longitudinally and being frictionally received within the openingsvin the side walls.

8. The combination of claim 7, in combination with one or more pins each having a prong insertable into a surface to be drawn upon, and a head formed with an annular groove over which the looped thread may be engaged.

References .Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,709 Higgins et al. May 26, 1908 1,188,900 Clogston et al. June 27, 1916 1,230,994 Caldwell June 26, 1917 1,997,814 Dubois Apr. 16, 1935 2,542,537 Klemm Feb. 20, 1951 2,607,118 Debs Aug. 19, 1952 2,650,429 1 Debs Sept. 1, 1953 

